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Any patch you make to drywall should be invisible, and because drywall is a forgiving building material, it isn't difficult to hide visible ones. The actual procedure for patching a hole varies according to how large it is. You can often fill small holes or cover them with drywall tape, but you may need to cut and fasten drywall to patch larger ones. Once the patch is complete, the procedure for hiding it involves laying on drywall joint compound, or mud. If the ceiling has a texture, you'll have to match that texture to make the patch disappear.

1

Fill holes smaller than about 1 inch in diameter with patching compound. Mix the powdered compound with water to make a thick plaster with the consistency of peanut butter. Trowel it in the hole with a putty knife. Let it stiffen, then scrape it flat with the ceiling.

2

Patch holes up to about 3 inches in diameter, as well as cracks and gouges, with drywall tape and joint compound. Spread the joint compound around the perimeter of the hole with a 4-inch drywall knife, moisten the tape and lay it over the hole. Scrape the excess joint compound from under the tape with the knife.

3

Fill larger holes with drywall. Use a drywall saw to cut a rectangle in the ceiling that encloses the hole. Cut a piece of scrap 1/2-inch plywood that spans the rectangle and screw it to the back of the drywall with 1 1/2-inch drywall screws. Sink the screw heads 1/16 inch below the surface of the drywall.

4

Measure the dimensions of the rectangle with a tape measure and cut a piece of drywall to fit. Screw it to the plywood with 1 1/2-inch drywall screws.

5

Spread drywall joint compound around the perimeter of the rectangle with a 4-inch drywall knife, and lay moistened paper drywall tape on it. Scrape the tape flat, and remove excess mud.

6

Topcoat your patch, no matter what size it is, with at least two coats of mud. Apply each coat after the one underneath it has dried, and scrape it flat with a wider knife than the one you used to scrape the previous coat. In this way, the edges of the patch will feather into the wall and be invisible.

7

Sand the final coat with 120-grit sandpaper after it has dried.

8

Texture the patch to match the rest of the ceiling. There are many ways to texture, and to match the existing one, you may have to spray mud and scrape it flat, trowel it on and scrape it, roll it with a paint roller or use another technique. Prime the texture with drywall primer when it dries and then paint it with the ceiling color.

Things You Will Need

Patching compound

Putty knife

Drywall tape

Drywall joint compound

4-, 6- and 8-inch drywall knives

Drywall saw

Scrap 1/2-inch plywood

1 1/2-inch drywall screws

Tape measure

Drywall

120-grit sandpaper

Texture sprayer

Paint roller

Drywall primer

Paint

Tips

Matching texture can be tricky because there are so many ways to apply it. A drywall professional may be able to help you choose the best way to apply yours.

If you have to patch a very large hole, cut a rectangle that extends to the rafters on either side of it to make the new drywall easier to attach.

About the Author

Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. Besides having an abiding interest in popular science, Deziel has been active in the building and home design trades since 1975. As a landscape builder, he helped establish two gardening companies.

Photo Credits

Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

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Deziel, Chris. "How to Make an Invisible Patch to a Drywall Ceililng." Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/make-invisible-patch-drywall-ceililng-47159.html. Accessed 14 September 2019.

Deziel, Chris. (n.d.). How to Make an Invisible Patch to a Drywall Ceililng. Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/make-invisible-patch-drywall-ceililng-47159.html

Deziel, Chris. "How to Make an Invisible Patch to a Drywall Ceililng" accessed September 14, 2019. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/make-invisible-patch-drywall-ceililng-47159.html

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